‘Retool or bring knife in gunfight’
Local social media experts urged mainstream media establishments to adapt to new technologies and retool journalists as a way to combat the prevalence of fake news.
Max Limpag, co-founder of Innopub Media, said there is a need for journalists and mainstream media outlets to embrace new technologies and social media due to its greater distribution.
Limpag was one of those who raised their concern on the increasing prevalence of fake news during the 46th quarterly meeting of the Cebu Citizens Press Council (CCPC) yesterday.
Limpag said that while social media giants like Facebook and Google have devised ways to prevent fake news from spreading, it will still be up to journalists and news outlets to drastically adapt to new technologies in presenting credible information to the public.
“If we refuse to adapt, then we are like bringing knives in a gunfight,” Limpag added.
Mildred Galarpe, online sales head of SunStar Publishing Inc. said fake news has not only affected information consumers but also mainstream media establishment as well.
Galarpe said that some people in and out of the country are using fake news to make a profit.
Aside from being cost-effective, creating fake news is easily accessible due to its presence in social media.
But Galarpe said that with the rise of fake news, reputations of credible news outlets have plummeted.
However, its rise brought about negative effects worldwide such as confusion, public chaos, persecution and even, racial war.
Galarpe said fake news not only affects readers, but also advertisers, who see fake news as an alternative method to market their products.
She emphasized the need for a collective effort with publishers and advertisers in understanding the effect of fake news in their businesses.
Galarpe urged journalists to invest on greater transparency and accountability for stories they make in the field.
She also urged members of the academe to conduct media and information literacy on college students as they are considered to be more attuned to social media. /